Capítulo 72: Tomb of the Dead
Some players in the live broadcast room had already begun to stir. The screen was filled with endless comments of "Wow" and "Bai Yi is awesome," each comment quickly replaced by another, creating a near-constant flood of praise.
In the past few days, Bai Yi had released numerous tasks—usually five a day—each an opportunity for players to make a fortune. But now, a group mission had appeared.
Although it was unusual that Bai Yi had to personally invite them, Wei Lu agreed without hesitation. "Don't worry, Mr. Bai Yi. But where can we find you?"
Bai Yi smiled. "Ten kilometers northeast of the East City Gate. There's a simple wooden house there. I'll be waiting for you in three days."
"Understood, Mr. Bai Yi. We'll be there on time." Wei Lu bowed slightly, turned, and walked away. He needed to find a quiet spot to record a video and gather more players, ensuring everyone could participate.
This mission, he realized, might mark the official start of the plot.
After the guards left, Bai Yi pondered for a moment, then returned to Dawn Pharmacy. He entered the laboratory and began preparing the teleportation array.
As it powered up, a sudden dizziness overtook him, as though struck by a blow. His vision blurred, then slowly cleared. When his senses returned, he found himself standing in front of a small wooden house.
Shaking off the disorientation, Bai Yi started brewing the potion.
The Necromancer's Cemetery was nearly a thousand kilometers from Dongwu City. Transporting 10,000 players such a distance would cost a fortune. This was one reason Bai Yi had resorted to the black market to buy illegal items.
There was a liquid in the undead world capable of temporarily allowing creatures to enter a phantom state. However, it came at a terrible price: the soul would be tainted by death.
For living beings, this meant two possible outcomes: necromancy or death.
But players, who lacked souls, could bypass these effects, making them ideal for riding the violent teleportation array.
Bai Yi had spent the past days not just studying the mission mechanism, but also preparing for this moment.
Even though the bone dragon's level was low, it still represented power. Dragons, in any world, signified strength and rarity.
By the time Bai Yi finished his preparations, it was already the third night, two and a half days since the mission was posted. The deadline loomed—tomorrow at noon.
If every player had 200 gold coins, the price of gold would inevitably drop. Still, gold would remain valuable in the internal test. After all, besides Bai Yi's mission, most civilian tasks paid in copper coins—rarely reaching even the three-digit mark.
Players had to complete dozens of tasks to earn a single gold coin, and the only way to recharge in-game was by using gold coins. At a rate of 20 yuan for one gold coin, even in version 3.0, private transactions held steady at 10 yuan per coin. This price was exorbitant.
Given the scarcity of gold coins during the internal test, 200 coins could fetch at least 100,000 yuan—an immense sum for most players.
This had helped fuel the popularity of Dawn Rising, and players were clamoring for the public beta to start. Meanwhile, the game company remained silent.
Bai Yi had been monitoring the Wei Brigade's forum, and now, more than 9,000 players had joined the mission. Though some had yet to log in, the number would surpass 9,800 by tomorrow.
Such a large number proved the game's popularity.
As Bai Yi continued brewing the potion, players began to arrive, muttering complaints.
"Ugh, I've never walked this far in real life. I'm exhausted."
"Doesn't this world feel so real? Look at the grass—it doesn't even have saw teeth. Technology is crazy."
"It's not tech, it must be alien technology. Otherwise, why are other games still stuck in the VR stage?"
"Stop complaining. The authorities haven't said anything, so we're fine. Now that we're here, let's make the most of it."
"And we can make money. Rich people are willing to spend. One thousand gold coins each... It's a fortune."
"Wei Lu's lucky—Bai Yi clearly favors him. That might be why he got picked for this mission."
The guard scanned the area. The meadow was devoid of trees, with only the wooden house standing out in the middle of the grass, looking strangely out of place.
By the time the appointed hour arrived, the players had crowded the space, trampling the grass into mud. Complaints faded as they grew excited.
Bai Yi, seeing that the time was near, stepped out of the cabin. His gaze swept across the sea of players, and a flicker of excitement crossed his face.
Magic surged around him, his voice ringing out: "It seems many of you are willing to help. Let me make things clear."
His words, infused with magic, cut through the noise of the crowd.
"This mission will take you to explore a cemetery. Your task is to retrieve ancient artifacts. This will be dangerous. There's a real risk of death. If any of you wish to leave now, you may."
He waited for thirty seconds, scanning the players' faces. No one left.
Bai Yi smiled. "Since no one's backing out, prepare yourselves. I'll teleport you to the halfway point of a mountain. The entrance to the cemetery lies at its peak."
"Only you, brave ones, can enter safely. I've placed communication devices at the base of the mountain. Once you complete the task, use them to contact me, and I'll bring you back."
At that, thirty worker bees emerged from his windbreaker, flying above the players.
"Don't panic. In a moment, I'll spray a mist down upon you. It's necessary, as your bodies are too weak for the teleportation array."
As Bai Yi spoke, the bees released a fine mist over the players, and their panels lit up with a message:
[Your body is being corroded by ghost energy and will transform into a spirit form for five seconds.]
Before anyone could process the message, Bai Yi activated the teleportation array.
Boom!
Suddenly, the players felt as though they were being tossed in a washing machine, their surroundings turning into a blur.
[You entered a special teleportation array. You were severely stunned, your health decreased by 30%, and you've fallen into a weakened state.]
Before the players could comprehend it, their illusory forms solidified, and they dropped to the ground with a thud.
"Fuck!"
As they slowly regained their bearings, curses began to spill forth.
"My brain feels like mush!"
"Shut up! I'm going to puke, but I can't."
"Is this the famous space teleportation? This is something even dogs can't do."
"Wait, Bai Yi said NPCs can't enter. Is that true?"
"Probably dangerous, huh? The NPCs are too smart. Maybe we're just bait for them."
"Who cares? It's 200 gold coins. Don't you want it?"
"Exactly. Bai Yi said the entrance is at the top of the mountain. Let's go finish this quickly and get out of here."
Wei Lu shook his head, glancing around nervously. The mountain was barren, devoid of life. Despite the bright sunlight, the atmosphere was chilly and oppressive.
The top of the mountain appeared completely black, and twisted, rotting trees lay scattered across the ground, giving the scene a grotesque feel. The occasional caw of distant crows only added to the eerie atmosphere.
The group moved cautiously, their unease growing as they approached the summit. The faint pain from the teleportation still lingered.
"Shit, there aren't any ghosts, are there? This place is giving me the creeps."
"Let's trick Ah San into going first. He kills lizards, so ghosts should be no problem for him."
"Are you insulting me? The game has a translation system. Keep it civil!"
The banter didn't ease anyone's nerves, and they continued to make their way up the mountain. Wei Lu felt a growing sense of dread, but he forced himself to push forward. The others were eager, but he knew this dungeon was something beyond their current level.
Still, with 200 gold coins on the line—200 gold coins, a fortune compared to regular NPC missions—he couldn't back down now.
At the summit, the players found a strange bronze door, surrounded by a twisting force that distorted the air, sending waves of unease through them.
One player hesitantly touched the door, triggering a message on their panel:
[You have entered a special area: Tomb of the Dead. The contract's erosion has been shielded.]
The player grinned. "Hey, Bai Yi wasn't lying. There really is a contract power here. Why haven't I been signed?"
"Silly dog, didn't you read the intro? Players can't sign contracts with natives. It would break the balance. The worst penalty is death."
"Who are you calling a dog?"
"Shut up. The door isn't closing. If you're not going in, I will."
"I found it first, so I'm going first!"
The players rushed in, eager to test their strength. They had been in the game for a week and hadn't killed a single monster yet—this was their chance.
Wei Lu exchanged a glance with a familiar high-level player. The two of them silently stepped away from the main group.
"How do you feel?" Wei Lu asked quietly.
"Not good. We either become expendable or die as pathfinders," Demacia replied seriously
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